Anybody can compose a good photograph......

Photography is considered both art and science. There is one element of the "art" part of photography that is completely independent of any technology involved. It is also this element in most cases makes or breaks a photograph. This is composition. Composition is basically, how one arranges various visual elements in the frame. It also includes the decision of the photographer to include or exclude elements from the frame. Various guidelines of composition are available and forms a good starting point to taking better pictures. These are sometimes also referred to as rules of composition. Many (including me) prefer to call them guidelines rather than rules, since it is not necessary to follow them to the core to get a good composition. Having said that, they are also tried and tested since ages. Many of these guidelines are basically the same ones that painters have been using for a long time, much before the camera was invented. Hence it has its own merit and it will surely bring in a huge difference in one's pictures once the basic guidelines are understood. My goal in this blog is to introduce some of the basic composition guidelines so that anyone, having any kind of camera (including mobile phone cameras), can start taking more appealing photographs (including personal vacation ones).

Rule of thirds

This is the most widely used guideline. It simply says that if you divide the frame into a matrix of 3 x 3 equal areas by lines as shown in the adjacent image, then the main subject is to be placed approximately, either along one of the lines or at one of the intersections of the lines. In the adjacent image, the tree and its reflection, which is the main subject in the image line up approximately along one of the lines. The horizon or the ground separating the water and the sky is also aligned along the top 1/3rd line.

Leading Lines

This guideline says that one should use elements in the image to lead the eyes of the viewer through the image. Such element(s) is called leading line(s). The leading line(s) is typically used to lead the eyes towards the main subject in the image. In the adjacent image the tree lineup, the road and the marking lines on the road all lead towards a common point in the image. Though this image does not have a main subject at the intersection of these leading lines, it still demonstrates the power of leading line that forces the viewer to focus at the intersecting point.

Framing

As the name suggests, the main subject is framed by other elements in the image to gather attention on the main subject. In the adjacent image, in spite of the falls being very close to the edge of the image, because of the framing by the tree outline, our eyes focuses on the falls. This composition when used, provides an interesting and off beat image.

Symmetry

This is straight forward as it suggests, keeping symmetry in the image. This is in a way contradicting to the rule of thirds, which is basically an off-centre composition and works most of the times. But, depending on the scene, symmetry also can be a powerful composition. It breaks the monotony of the rule of thirds. Symmetry is also a very pleasing to the eyes. Architectures or man made objects provides a lot of opportunity to shoot symmetries, since man made structures are mostly symmetrical. If one can train the eyes, one can see symmetry in nature as well. Reflections are best subjects in nature to achieve a symmetrical composition.

Foreground - Mid ground - Background

This is an important composition guideline in landscape photography. It says, one has to divide the area in the image into three areas, foreground (nearest to the camera), mid-ground (midway in your frame) and background (farthest to the camera) and place focal elements in these areas such that the eyes start traversing from foreground to background and thus exploring the whole image. Typically foreground elements are dominant that is complimented by the background elements. mid-ground elements should help in smooth transition from foreground to background.

Conclusion

To get a well composed image, multiple guidelines are usually employed in combination. Depending on the scene and what one intends to capture, these guidelines can be applied. In the adjacent image, the river path, edges of the mountains all are leading to the snow capped mountain in the background, which is the key subject in this image.

Additionally, the mountain itself is placed at the intersection of the lines of Golden ratio (another guideline, similar to rule of thirds but more aesthetic). Both these work together to draw the attention of the viewer towards the snow capped mountain.

The guidelines mentioned here are just a few and basic ones. There are many more of them and much more complex than these as well. Never the less, understanding these basic ones and employing them itself will bring a drastic change in the images irrespective of the type of camera used, by anyone and for any kind of photographs.